What if the key to your liberation, peace, and growth was never out of reach, but rather inside you all along? What if, instead of waiting for others to change or for circumstances to improve, all you needed to do was forgive?
Forgiveness. It’s something we often hear about, but rarely fully embrace. It’s easy to think of forgiveness as letting others off the hook, but what if we told you that real forgiveness is about releasing yourself?
Imagine this: you’ve been carrying around a heavy burden, shaped by the wrongs done to you, the disappointments, and the injustices of the past. Every day, you carry this load without realizing it.
Now, picture yourself standing tall without this weight, walking freely, unburdened, and fully alive. That’s the power of forgiveness.
The Matrix of Unforgiveness: Are You a Prisoner of the Past?
We live in a world that constantly pulls us in all directions—distracted, overwhelmed, and caught up in a whirlwind of noise and demands. In this chaos, we have learned to hold on tightly to our anger, resentment, and old wounds. It’s as if by keeping these emotions alive, we’re somehow protecting ourselves.
We replay past wrongs, as though in doing so, we’re holding on to control, or ensuring that we won’t be hurt again. But in reality, this constant mental replay isn’t protection; it’s emotional imprisonment.
Think of it this way: when you hold on to unforgiveness, you’re allowing yourself to be shackled by the past. You’re living in a self-imposed mental prison. The ironic part? You hold the keys to your own freedom.
Forgiveness isn’t about condoning harmful behavior; it’s about releasing the emotional charge that keeps us tethered to the person or event that caused us pain. It’s not an act of weakness or submission—it’s a declaration of your strength. It’s an internal shift that takes back the control you’ve unwittingly handed over.
When you forgive, you’re essentially saying: „I’m no longer allowing this pain to have power over me. I’m done letting it control my thoughts, my body, my emotions, and my life.“
Why Forgiveness is Essential for Personal Growth
To evolve, we need to let go of things that no longer serve us. This could mean letting go of unhealthy patterns, outdated beliefs, or toxic relationships. Forgiveness is no different. Each time we forgive, we are making room for new opportunities, fresh energy, and growth. The process of letting go is a direct route to stepping into our own power.
But here’s where it gets tricky: forgiveness is not just for others—it’s for you. Forgiveness is self-love in its purest form. When we hold on to grudges, we are, in essence, telling ourselves that we don’t deserve peace. But when we forgive—whether it’s forgiving ourselves or others—we are consciously choosing to let go of what no longer serves us. And this is the key to creating new possibilities for our future.
Forgiveness creates space. Space for healing. Space for growth. Space for the person you are becoming. Every time you forgive, you break the chains that keep you tied to past trauma. With that release, you gain the power to reshape your future.
The Practice of Forgiveness: How to Start?
Forgiveness is not a one-time event—it’s a practice. And just like any practice, it can evolve over time. The beauty of forgiveness is that you don’t have to forgive everything all at once. Start small. It’s okay to take it one step at a time. Here’s how you can begin:
1. Become Aware of What You’re Holding On To
The first step is awareness. What are you still carrying with you from the past? Is there a person, a situation, or an event that continues to hold your emotional energy hostage? Take a moment to reflect and identify what you’re still holding on to. It could be something small, or it could be a deep wound that you’ve kept hidden for years. Awareness is the foundation for all healing.
2. Acknowledge the Pain
Too often, we suppress our pain, hoping it will go away on its own. But healing only comes through acknowledgment. Sit with your pain for a moment. Feel it. Understand it. Acknowledge that you have been hurt. This isn’t about staying stuck in the pain—it’s about giving yourself permission to feel it without judgment. You’re not weak for facing your vulnerability; you’re strong for confronting it. Only by doing this can we begin to let go of it.
3. Shift Your Perspective
Osho once said, „Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.“ Forgiveness is not about excusing what was done to you or pretending it never happened. It’s about understanding that holding on to anger and resentment only harms you, not the person who wronged you. Shifting your perspective means recognizing that your peace is far more valuable than clinging to the past.
In the end, holding on to resentment only keeps the other person alive in your thoughts, granting them power over your peace. When you forgive, you shift your power back to yourself.
4. Release and Let Go
After acknowledging your pain and shifting your perspective, it’s time to release. But here’s the catch: releasing doesn’t mean suppressing your emotions. It doesn’t mean pretending the hurt never happened. Releasing means letting go of the emotional attachment to the situation or person.
A powerful way to do this is by writing down your emotions—your anger, your sorrow, your frustration—and then symbolically releasing them. You can burn the paper, tear it up, or let it blow away in the wind. This ritual can help anchor your decision to move forward, to release the emotional charge that has been holding you back.
5. Forgive Yourself
Perhaps the most profound and life-changing form of forgiveness is the one you offer yourself. We are often our own harshest critics, holding ourselves to impossible standards. Yet, we are all human, and we all make mistakes.
By forgiving yourself, you are breaking free from the guilt and shame that keep you stuck in the past. Self-forgiveness is about acknowledging that you are worthy of love, compassion, and peace—just as you are.
The Power of Self-Liberation Through Forgiveness
At its core, forgiveness is the act of releasing the past so that you can embrace the present. In doing so, you free yourself to create the future. The wisdom of figures like Sadhguru reminds us that we often become imprisoned by our own thoughts and emotions. But when we release the weight of past grievances, we no longer remain chained to history. Instead, we become the creators of our own future.
Forgiveness is not just an emotional tool for healing—it is a radical act of self-liberation. When you forgive, you break the illusion that the past has power over you. You reclaim your energy, your clarity, and your emotional freedom. By forgiving, you free yourself from the mental and emotional chains that have been holding you hostage.
Final Thoughts: What’s Holding You Back?
Forgiveness is not a favor we do for others; it’s a gift we give to ourselves. The more we forgive, the more we break free from the chains that bind us. By choosing forgiveness, we release ourselves from the past and open ourselves to a future of peace, emotional freedom, and personal power.
Ask yourself: What is it time to forgive? What old wounds, grudges, or regrets are you still carrying? And what would it feel like to finally let them go?
Forgiveness is not a burden—it’s a doorway to freedom. Step through it, and reclaim your life.
Picture by Eli DeFaria @Unsplash